Fifth-wheel for vehicles



L e e h S S t e e h S 2 E q d 0 M 0 m FIFTH. WHEEL FOR VEHIGLES.

Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

III-III III-II- Invenim" Wzfness es (No Model.)

2 Sh-eets--Sheet 2.

E. B. SMITH.- FIFTH WHEEL FOR VEHIGLES.

Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

4 Inveni/or AN DREW KGBMMM. PNOTD-LITHUNIASHINGTUNDE EZRA B. SMITH, OFCINCINNATI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE E BERIIARDMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FIFTH-WHEEL. FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,693, dated January28, 1896.

Application filed October 16, 1893. Serial No. 488,287. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA B. SMITH, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-l/vheels orOircles for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantagesresulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent fromthe following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this application, and towhich reference is hereby made, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan View of afifth-wheel, illustrating lny-invention, the front spring and itssecuringclips being omitted from the head-block. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the said wheel, a central portion of the spring resting onthe front bolster and the securing-clips being shown in place. Fig. 3 isa vertical central transverse section of the wheel shown in Fig. 2 andtaken in the plane of the dotted line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4,Sheet 2, is a top elevation of the lower axle-brace. Fig. 5 is a topelevation of the lower perch or reachbrace. Fig. 6 is a bottom view ofthe upper reach-brace. Fig. '7 is a modified form having the lowerprojections of the plate K removed and the king-bolt F set in. Fig. 8 isa view illustrating the advantageous use of the slanting aperture inputting the upper reach-brace in place after the king-bolt and the lowerpart circle of the wheel are in place on the axle.

A indicates the axle of any well-known form and construction, and B thehead-block. The axle is here shown as commonly constructed-viz. ,part Aof wood and A of iron.

Upon the axle A rests the supporting iron brace or bed O, and thislatter in turn supports near or at its ends the lower fifth-wheel orpart circle, D. This lower part circle, D, may be cast in one with thebed'O, or riveted or otherwise secured thereto. The bed O is providedbeneath with lugs O between which the axle A is received in the usualmanner. Between adjacent lugs 0 holes admit bolts or screws for securingthe bed and circle to the axle at said points.

- The bed-plate O is preferably bent on either side of the king-bolt,thereby conforming to the shape usually taken by the head-block.

It is, however, unnecessary to always use the 5 5 bent form, as astraight plate will answer the purpose.

As shown by dotted lines in the rear of the woodwork covering the axle,the bed-plate O has a flange depending therefrom which is intended toallow the bolting of the plate at or near the center of the gear,increasing the strength of the combination.

The mid-central portion of the bed C is provided with an opening for thereception of 6 5 the king-bolt F, the form of which opening will behereinafter described. The lower part circle, D, supports the upperfifth-wheel or part circle, E. The latter has the customary pair ofclips E one pair near each end, and between the clips of each pair theheadblock B sets. Holes admit screws or bolts for securing thehead-block to the part circle E.

'Upon the head-block may be a spring H, of any desired form, when theconstruction of the vehicle is such as to require a spring there.

' It will be noted that the fifth-wheel bearings lie substantiallybehind the head-block and axle.

The upper part circle, E, contains means for 8: attachment to the reach,and these means in the present instance consist of the perforated lugs Eprojecting from the rear portion of said upper circle,E,-and connectedto the reach directly or through connections by means of the bolts orscrews E Flanges E of the top circle, E, project downwardly at thejunction of the perches and the friction-plates. These flanges E assistin guiding the friction-plates and in retaining the latter in place. Incase the king-bolt breaks these flanges will operate'to retain thefriction-plates in position.

The reach or reaches I preferably have the customary under brace-iron, 1The rear- 9 5 ward metal ends or braces J of the reach have their upperrear portion, J extending back over the wooden end of the reach, so thatthe latter lies between this portion J 2 and the under brace-iron, 1which is at one end of the brace M, and is firmly secured theretoin thecustomary manner.

For economy of construction the four parts are secured together by thebolts E passing through them, and tightened with nuts in the usualmanner. IIoles, as J admit of the passage of these bolts through thebraces. These braces J join a cross-piece K, and the latter is centrallysecured to the under side of the head-block B, preferably by clips IV,passing up over the head-block and spring H, if the latter be present,the lower ends of the clips passing through the openings K in the pieceK. This brace is in one piece with what are commonly known as thecross-ties which hold the clips, and extends to the end of such ties asan integral part of the same. This plate or piece K has underneath, ator near the center, a downward semiannular flange K and above asemicircular flange K at the rear side of a Vertical opening K,extending concentrically through the flange K and in front of flange KRecesses J are provided in the lower portion of the perch-irons J toengage the forward end of the perch, obviating the necessity of using abolt to keep the perch from splitting. The forward end of the woodenportion of the perch sets into the recess J of the perch-iron,substantially as indicated on the drawings. The necessity of such recessis because the adjacent hole J which carries a bolt, multiplies thechances of the perch splitting by reason of being so close to the end.

In the lower-fifth wheel brace, O, is a central opening 0*, which justadmits the annular flange K and allows the latter to turn therein easilyand without undue friction, forming a king-bolt or reinforcingking-bolt. The upper flange, K extends up into a recess 13 in thehead-block, constituting strength and forming a long substantial bearingfor the king-bolt and removing strain therefrom when the latter isfitted thereto.

In the brace 0, below where the bottom of the flange K extends, theopening is enlarged for the head of the king-bolt, forming the opening KThis opening K of the flange K is angular and closely engages theangular head of the king-bolt and thus prevents the rotation of thelatter.

In putting'together the several aforementioned parts the king-bolt F isintroduced through the opening 0* from below, the head of thebolt'occup'ying the recess C and being larger than opening C cannot bedrawn up through the latter. The reach-brace J and piece K are thenconnected to the bolt by piece K being passed over the bolt, the latterentering and passing up through opening K. and the flange K embracingthe bolt and being in the opening 0 of brace O. The headblock B with theupper fiftlrwheel, E, attached is now placed in position, the king-boltF extending up through the head-block and also through the spring II, ifpresent, and secured in place by a nut H It is evident that the boltwill hold together firmly and compactly the head-block, the upper andlower parts of the fifth-wheel brace K .I and spring II. At the sametime the brace-plate and the head-block will rotate easily upon the saidcentral pivotal bearing, and at the same time hold firmly together thevarious upper and lower portions constituting the upper and lower halvesof this pivotal joint.

The opening K in the brace-piece K is made of a special form, to wit:The front wall, L, and the lower part of the back wall, L of the openingare slanted upward toward the front of the head-block, substantially asshown, the upper front edge of the opening K being cut away and thelower back edge being likewise cut away. (See more particularly Fig. 8.)The purpose of this constru ction is to enable the reach-plate K to beadjusted on the king-bolt after the latter has been fixed to the axleand axle-plate. The plate K with the forward end of the reachpiece ispassed up through the fifth-wheel, rear circle and plate in an inclinedposition. and the plate passed above the bolt and dropped into position,as shown in Fig. 3, the bolt entering the opening K and passing upthrough it. This operation is successfully performed by means of theaforesaid inclined walls L L and enlargement of the said opening K, asshown and described. The advantages of this construction permit makingcircles D and E unbroken, thereby forming a strong, desirable,continuous rear bearing. It is obvious to any one skilled in the art ofthe manufacture of carriages that this construction can only be obtainedwhen a mod erate cost is desired by constructing the novel features setforth in king-bolt arrangement.

The under reach or brace, M, consists of an eye M and an arm orarms M,according as the reach I is single or double, the arms being providedwith holes M, through which bolts E are passed for securing the brace tothe reach.

011 the under side of the axle is the brace plate or bar N, whose endshave lugs N between which fit the axle. IIoles N in said lugs admitclips P, which embrace the axle and hold the brace N to it by means ofnuts N as shown. At the mid-center of this brace-plate N an annularflange N extends downwardly, and the opening N through this flangeextends up through the brace-plate N. In practice, the flange N fits inthe eye M of brace M, and a bolt R and nut R? secure them together. Thehead of this bolt rests in an enlarged portion Y of the opening N. Thusthe lower portion of the axle is well braced, as is also the fifth-wheeland the reach.

The plate K, occupying only the central portion of the length of thehead-block, permits the latter to he arched, and the bedplate 0 ateither side of the mid-length is bent or curved down, and then risestoward the ends, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The modified form shown in Fig. 7, where the opening in the center ofthe bedplate is reduced, it being only large enough to ac commodate theking-bolt, is a form which would be possible in some cases in order toavoid one of the important features of my fifth-wheel, where thedownward-projecting lug of plate K forms a turning-point for thebed-plate. \Vhile the modified structure will never be so strong, andnot preferable, and never accomplish much, it would, however, menace theoriginal construction in a way to bring about petty competition, whichwould be largely the result of advertising.

IVhile the various features of my invention are preferably employedtogether, one or more of said features may be used without theremainder, and in so far as applicable one or more of said features maybe employed in connection with fifth-wheels of specific constructionother than the one herein specifically set forth.

IV hat I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a fifth wheel, in combination with the king bolt over the axle,the head thereof resting in the bed plate of the lower circle and overthe axle, and the circles E and D of the fifth wheel located partly atthe rear of the king bolt, the circles D and E passing over the perch,and the head-block plate having flange K extending into head-block andflange K extending into bed plate 0, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

2. In a fifth wheel, the axle and head-block,

plate 0 in one with the lower circle D, and

having opening (3 and large opening 0 below, and head-block plate Khaving downward flange K extending into the opening 0 upwardly extendingflange K and the king bolt passing through the plates 0 and K, andclosely embraced by the flanges K and K and having its head receivedinto the recess 0 and circles E and D being partly at the rear of theking bolt, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a fifth wheel, the axle and head-block, plate 0 in one with thelower circle, and having opening 0 and large opening C below, andhead-block plate K having downward flange K extending into the opening 0separate from the upper half of the circle, and the king bolt passingupward through the plates 0 and K, and closely embraced by the flange Kand having its head received into the recess 0 the reach and part ofcircles E and D being at the rear of the axle, substantially as and 'forthe purposes specified.

4:. In a fifth wheel, the combination of the circles E, D, locatedpartly behind the king bolt, and bed plate 0 of the latter havingcentral king bolt recess and perch iron J, headblock plate K thereofprovided with the flange K fitting in the central recess of bed plate 0,bed plate 0 rigidly secured to the axle, king bolt from the upper sideof the axle, through plates 0 and K, and head-block, and the under reachbrace M having eye M and under axle brace N secured thereto, and havingflange- N 5 entering the eye of brace M, the braces M and N pivotallysecured together, the circles of the fifth wheel extending rearwardly,unbroken and passing over the reach, the upper circle being fastenedthereto at E substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a fifth wheel, the combination of fifth wheel circles E,D, bedplate 0 of the lowerhaving central king bolt recess, perch iron J, inone with head-block plate K provided with the flange K fitting in thecentral recess of bed plate (1, king bolt from the upper side of theaxle, through plates 0 and K, and head-block, the circles located partlyat the rear of the king bolt, and the under reach brace M having eye Mand under axle brace N secured thereto and to the plate N, and havingflange N entering the eye of brace M, the braces M and N pivotallysecured together, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a fifth wheel, the combination of the head-block, axle, bed plate0 having king bolt recess 0*, 0 king bolt therein, fifth wheel circles Eand D for the most part at the rear of the king bolt, perch iron J andplate K having under vertical flange K fitting into the king bolt recessand upper flange K the front wall L of flange K and the rear wall L ofthe flange K being removed, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

7 In a fifth wheel, the combination of the circles E, D, and bed plate 0of the latter having central king bolt recess,'perch iron J andhead-block plate K thereof, provided with the flange K fitting in thecentral recess of bed plate 0, plate 0 rigidly secured to the axle, kingbolt from the upper side of the axle, passing through plates G and K,and head-block, the circles partly located at the rear of thekingbolt,and the under reach brace M having eye M and under axle brace Nsecured thereto, and having flange N entering the eye of brace M, thebraces M and N pivotally secured together, the plate 0 and brace Nsecured by the clips to the axle, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

8. In avehicle fifth wheel, having two rearwardly extending circles,passing over the perch in rear, the upper circle provided with flangesbetween lugs E extending downward either side of the lower circle at theperch, and lugs E present to fasten the top circle to perch,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. In a vehicle fifth wheel having the rear.

of the top circle fastened to the perch iron J by the lugs E of thelatter, the lower circle D passing between the perch J and the uppercircle E and between the downwardly projecting flanges of the latter,and a king bolt located above the axle, engaging the forward ends of theperch ironsJ, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In a vehicle fifth wheel, the perch irons J, in one with head-blockplate K having a central flange under thehead-block extending downwardand also having a central flange extending up into the head block, and aking bolt the head resting in bed plate 0 engaging said flanges,substantially as and for the purposes specified. V

11. In a fifth wheel,the axle and head-block, plate C in one with thelower circle, and havin g opening C", and head-block plate K havingdownward flange K extending into the opening C and the king bolt passingupward through the plates (1 and K, and embraced by the flange K andhaving its head resting under curved plate C, the reach and part of thecircles E and D being at the rear of the axle, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

12. In a lit'th wheel,the axle and head-block, plate C in one with thelower circle, and having opening and headbloek plate K having downwardflange K extending into the openin g C", and the king bolt passingupward through the plates 0 and K, and embraced by the flange K, acurved bed plate, the reach and the circles E and D, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

13. In a fifth Wheel,tl1e axle and head-block, plate 0 in one with thelower circle, and having opening 0', and head-block plate K havingdownward flange K extending into the opening 0*, the king bolt passingupward through the plates 0 and K, and embraced by the flange K, andking bolt head resting under the bed plate 0, the reach and part of thecircles E and D being at the rear of the axle, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

EZRA 1'3. SMITH.

Attest:

C. J. llICDIARMID, K. SMITH.

